My Collyhurst.

A Memory of Collyhurst.

Hi,my name is Margaret Mcdonagh (nee ward) a proud Collyhurst girl. I was born in 72 Thornton St North. My parents were Elizabeth and John Ward, my brothers John, Billy, Harry, Mike and my little brother Phil. My sisters names Jean, Ann and last but not least, Lynn. I have so many wonderful memories of Collyhurst. My friends, Lynn Beaumont, Susan Beard, Eileen Coates and many more. I also went to Abbot St School, St James and Albert Memorial school, where I met my life long friends Betty Briggs and Barbara Mcdougal. I was in St James' church girls brigade. We often went to Queens Park and the sand park, being chased out by the parky, going to the coal yard with an old pram, getting back home with bird droppings in my hair from under the arches. Playhouse Saturday mornings for a tanner. If it was your birthday, you went on the stage. Everyone came out slapping their own backsides being cowboys. Hot vimto, Sat, in the herbalist. Mr Morris, Mr West, Miss Openshaw, Mr Rodgers, no lessons with him just doing the gardens. Great teachers. I always think of school with a great mound of horse manure outside. Does anyone remember Mr Corns? All the girls were upset when he left to go to Devon.When I was young we used to take our own plate and spoon for the Christmas party at Abbot St School. I loved the Whit walks, people coming out of the pubs to cheer and clap as you passed by. Is it just me, but the summers seemed much hotter then. Playing with melted tar on the roads, hopscotch, skipping rope, catch a girl, kiss a girl, kick can. Playing house round the back with old bricks. Logging, our Mike would make me sit on the wall and watch the the wood because I was too small to run if they got caught taking someone else's wood. The children today don't know what fun is. They don't take the empty milk bottles back for a penny to get scrapings from the chippy, going house to house with a dress of crepe paper and an old net curtain on your head, singing around the merry maypole. Yes those times were hard, but they were the best of times. Helen Drew, Rita Mathews, Susan Harris, Jackie McDowell, Tony Huges, Paul Mathews, George Lyons, Kenny Benn. Everyone I shared my school days, where are you now, do you remember me, because I shall never forget the school days we shared. Filling in the gaps on Mr Murphy's chalkboard. The boys eyes when Miss Ross came into the classroom. Get in touch if you can. Take care. Margaret Ward.
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